By
Irosha WeththasinghaMore than fifty acres of land belonging to the Mental Hospital of Mulleriyawa has
been grabbed by Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Banet Coorey to start a housing
scheme, causing inconvenience to the patients the Government Medical Officers
Association (GMOA) alleged yesterday.

The GMOA said in a press release that the land is being taken without any
acknowledgment by the deputy minister to distribute among his supporters to win votes in
the forthcoming election.

Hospital sources said that earlier, 12 acres of land belonging to the hospital were
handed over to the National Housing Development Authority under the orders given by the
President. "But now more than fifty acres of land which belongs to the hospital are
being cleared and bulldozed under the directions of the deputy minister", a senior
official of the hospital told The Islanad. He said that the authorities were not informed
in anyway about this takeover. They alleged that the deputy minister is misusing his
powers and grabbing the land which belongs to the hospital to win votes.

Hospital authorities said that they have even bulldozed the garage of the Medical
Superintendent. "This is very pathetic because mentally retarded patients need a calm
and quiet atmosphere", one official said insisting that if a housing scheme is built
in these premises it would cause great inconvenience to patients.

GMOA alleges that robbing the land of the Mental Hospital is an indication of how
seriously the government takes their promises about developing the Health Services. In the
press release signed by the Secretary Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya, the GMOA had urged the
President to take action against this land grabbing.

Meanwhile the Medical Superintendent of the Mental Hospital said that he had complained
to the Health Minister and to the secretary of the ministry but no action has been taken
so far.

Attempts to reach Deputy Minister Banet Coorey were unsuccessful because he was out of
Colombo.

About 1400 resident patients are currently being treated in 25 wards of the Mulleriyawa
Mental Hospital.

By Prasad Gunewardene
The Peoples Alliance and the United National Party are likely to clash again over
the issue of the transitional provisions of the President when talks resume next week to
finalise the draft. At the conclusion of the talks last Friday, the government moved to
retain the executive presidency till 2005 despite a new constitution being planned to come
into operation in the coming months. The UNP stated that it needed time to think over the
proposal. The governments position was that the executive presidency should continue
as the war was on.

The governments position was made clear by Justice Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris
who said that a strong executive president was necessary to face the war and pledged that
once the war was over, the President would return to parliament as the executive Prime
Minister. UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said if the executive presidency continued after
the implementation of the new constitution, the objective of a new administration would be
lost. Both sides however, agreed to discuss the issue later.

The position taken by Minister Peiris that a strong executive presidential system was a
need to face the war is now being analysed by many in the opposition. As the government
wants the system to go on till 2005, the government will have to finish the war by that
deadline. The UNP says that the PA has never kept promises and recalled the pledge to
abolish the executive presidency given in 1994. It also claims that if the war is not
finished by that year, the government may be forced to amend the new constitution to
revert to the executive presidential system as Minister Peiris claims that a strong
Executive President was a need to end the war.

UNP sources said that when the issue is taken up for discussion at the next meeting it
would pressurise the government to follow the provisions in the proposed constitution if
it wanted a new administration that would be a solution to the national problem. Already
the two parties are at loggerheads over the subjects of the Independent Election
Commission and the Electoral Reforms. While the PA has refused the set up the Independent
Elections Commission before the next general election it is planning to introduce the
electoral reforms in parliament next week. The UNP is prepared to support it if both
issues are treated together in parliament simultaneously.

The government is keen to get the electoral reforms through to hold the general
election on the first-past-the-post-system followed by a district PR list and a national
list. The new system will increase the number of MPs to 270. For this exercise, the
government needs a two thirds majority in the House. UNP cabinet Minister in the PA,
Sarath Amunugama is working hard these days to grab more UNPers to support these reforms.
Amunugama also had a hand in drafting the proposed electoral reforms.

With UNP senior parliamentarian Ronnie de Mel having gone half way to support the PA,
Amunugama is reported to be successful in his attempt in tapping more UNP MPs during the
last weekend. De Mel is expected to be in full swing with the PA on his return from
London, sources close to De Mel indicated. Over the weekend, Amunugama met a group of
UNPers at a venue in Colombo. If there is another defection from the UNP this week, it
will be led by a young MP from the Galle district whose father supported President
Kumaratunga at the last presidential election. Political sources said that UNP defectors
who would support the PA in the electoral reforms to get a two thirds majority would be
handsomely rewarded.

Amunugama has assured Kumaratunga that he would definitely get the required sixteen
votes from the UNP. So far, he has six men in his fold with Ronnie De Mel to walk the
balance distance into the PA camp. That will make the number seven. The latest attempt
during the weekend indicates that six more UNPers are likely to fall into the
handsome reward scheme. Among those six are two men from Hambantota and Kandy
known to be severe critics of the President over the past six years but now full of praise
for Chandrika in the corridors of the parliament. This handsome reward scheme
is popular in the political circles and the last occasion that competition was held was to
bring in Ronnie de Mel and Gamini Dissanayake into Parliament during the Wijetunge era.
Then it was heard that some members who agreed to make way were handsomely
rewarded.

At least 79 terrorists were killed in three separate confrontations in the Jaffna
peninsula on Monday [10], the Special Media Information Centre [SMIC] said in a statement
issued yesterday. The number of terrorists wounded in these confrontations which took
place at Ariyalai near Jaffna, in general area Chavakachcheri and Poonari was placed at
118, according to the statement.

At least 19 soldiers including an officer were killed and 94 wounded in action at
Ariyalai on the same day. Security forces did not suffer casualties at Chavakachcheri and
Poonari.

Armed forces spokesman Brigadier Palitha Fernando said that terrorists suffered heavy
losses when troops destroyed an enemy bunker line and captured a strong point ahead of the
armys defences. Of the 79 terrorists killed on Monday, 62 died and 118 were wounded
at Ariyalai, he said.

The SMIC said that security forces mounted a limited operation against an enemy bunker
line at Ariyalai. The offensive mounted from Colombuthurai resulted in the destruction of
the bunker line and the capture of the strong point, situated approximately 750 m ahead of
the armys forward defence localities. The SMIC said that troops had to overcome
minefields and other obstacles ahead of their bunker line.

The SMIC said that ground troops have observed more than 30 bodies of terrorists in the
area. However, monitored enemy transmissions revealed that 62 terrorists were killed and
118 wounded.

At Chavakachcheri, troops assaulted a house and a bunker killing 12 terrorists while at
Poonari, troops shot dead five terrorists, the SMIC said.

Meanwhile, an army fighting patrol operating in general area Otiyamalai in Welioya
attacked a tractor carrying at least 12 terrorists on Monday. According to the SMIC all
terrorists were killed. Troops did not suffer casualties.

Brigadier Fernando said that troops carried out a series of successful operations in
the peninsula in the past few weeks. Last week over 50 terrorists were killed and dozens
wounded in an offensive carried out in the Nagarkovil [south] area, he said.

The following questions by the UNP Trincomalee district MP Ariyapala Walpitigama were
listed on the parliamentary order paper for July 07, 2000, before he crossed over to the
PA. The first set of questions were asked from Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte and the second
from Minister Mangala Samaraweera.

a. Does he admit that according to the manifesto of the PA government it has been
promised to give a promotion to everyone who has completed 15 years service in the police?

(1)

b. Does he admit that action has not been taken to fulfil the said promise although
five years have elapsed since the PA government came into power?

c. Will he take steps to fulfil that promise?

d. If so, will he state from which date?

e. If not, why?

And [2]

a. Is he aware it had been promised in the 1994 PA Manifesto to strengthen the media
and to create an atmosphere conducive for them to move freely without fear?

b. Does he accept that the media personnel who had been reporting the demonstration
held on 15th July, 1999 demanding to fulfil the promises given on the day the government
completed five years in office were assaulted by Presidents Security Division
personnel?

c. Will he disclose to this House whether the press conference held to convey cabinet
decisions on 10.09.1999 justified the attack on media personnel?

d. Will he disclose to this House the action taken against the persons who assaulted
Mr. Lasantha Wickremathunga, the editor of the Sunday Leader?

e. Will he take steps to eliminate the threat posed to the freedom of the media
personnel by the present PA government?

by Dilanthi JayamanneThe L series passport is valid till year 2006 and is accepted by the embassies of
the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Japan and many other embassies in Colombo
the Controller Immigration and Emigration, Passport Division, N. Bambarawanage said.

He told The Island that the Government of Sri Lanka has not recommended that travellers
abroad acquire the M series passport so that they may get their visas at the relevant
embassies.

He further added that the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka is acting on an order
issued by its government.

According to Indian Embassy sources the M series passport is recommended as it is
machine readable. Therefore travellers going to India are advised to get the M- series
passport. They were aversive to the question as to whether or not they would issue a visa
for an L series passport.

A new passport costs around Rs. 2,500.

It takes around three weeks to obtain it. The F Form should be filled and handed over
to the passport office. Assistant Commissioner Immigration and Emigration, A. P. G.
Kithsiri stressed that only the F Form was required to get an all countries passport. He
added that the traveller had to pay Rs. 2,500 for it. If he or she wanted it within one
day the cost was Rs. 5,000.

Considering the cost of a new passport, and the cost of the air ticket to India, which
is around Rs. 18,000-19,000; a normal traveller would feel the pinch. "Middle class
people like us find it difficult to face the expenses when we get there," said Vimala
Kumarie, who had come to the passport office to get her passport made. "I am a
retired officer who worked for a well known bank in the country, that does not mean that I
have been producing money," a man who was digressed at the trouble he has to go
through to get his passport and then to have it rejected by the Indian Embassy since it
was an L series passport said.

According to embassy sources they only advice the traveller to get the M Series
passport, "we dont reject it." The Indian High Commission is prompt in
issuing visas on time they said. The source further added that their main aim was to go in
for a better series passport.

by Sumadhu WeerawarnePlans are afoot to compare the genetic make-up of the different ethnic groups in
the country. The project the first of its kind will first map out and then compare the DNA
of a sampling of the populace.

This project will be funded by the Department of Archaeology and carried out in
conjunction with the Chemistry Department of the University of Colombo.

Archaeological Commissioner Dr. Siran Deraniyagala said that the intention of the
project is to find out whether there are any distinct differences in terms of DNA make-up
that make one ethnicity different from the other. "This will shed light on the
genetic distance between the different groups in the country, if there is such," he
said.

All groups including the aboriginal people, the veddahs of the country will be covered
under the study.

He added that the project will involve not only the study of the DNA of sections of the
current population, but also comparison with findings related to skeletal material of
early population. The skeletal material of the 19th century Sri Lankan aboriginal
population will be compared with the skeletal material of early population.

The definition of the term ethnicity includes race as a component of such definition.
The term race denotes a division of humankind, each having distinct physical
characteristics. What the DNA mapping will establish is whether the different
"ethnic" groups are such in real terms.

The biological function of the DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid is the preservation and
transmission of a genetic message, encoded in the sequence of its bases. It is the chief
material in chromosomes, the cell bodies that control the heredity of an animal or a
plant.

The Ministry of Internal and International Commerce & Food announced on Tuesday
that the Department of Internal Trade conducted an extensive survey, last week on the
prices of bread, pastries and bakery products made from wheat flour in the thickly
populated districts of Colombo, Galle, Kalutara, and Kandy. Simultaneously, checks were
made on the weight of bread sold consumers.

This survey was directed by Minister Kingsley Wickremaratne.

The inspectors in Kandy district reported that the prices of bread had been reduced by
50 cents. Other bakery products such as pastries have not been reduced as yet.

Galle and Kalutara reported that prices have not been reduced yet as they were still
using previously acquired stocks of wheat flour. It is expected that when they purchase
new stocks that prices would be reduced. Colombo and its suburbs reported similarly as
bakers reportedly said that they had not received stocks at revised price of Rs. 15:15 per
kilo.

Bakery owners said they were not in a position to reduce the prices of other bakery
products because of the high prices of sugar, yeast, margarine (Hyco), diesel fuel, gas
and vegetable oil, the prices of which had all increased recently.

The Ministry directed the Internal Trade authorities to conduct this survey in order to
get a clearer picture of ground realities. The object is to find ways and means to cushion
the effect of price escalations on the cost-of-living and reduce the burden imposed on
citizens. Minister, Kingsley T. Wickremaratne, is keenly monitoring the situation and will
continue to direct measures designed to afford maximum relief to consumers.

by Franklin R. SatyapalanOver 20,000 members of the All Ceylon Tamil Teachers Association yesterday
threatened to resort to trade union action from July 21 unless their six demands were met,
General Secretary T. Mahasivam said yesterday.

The association demands that the government calls a halt to the war and to find a
political solution through a dialouge with the LTTE with the mediation of Norway and
India.

Mahasivam thanked all teachers and principals who made the earlier one day token strike
a success.

More than 1,600 Tamil and Muslim schools did not function last Friday due to the token
strike and 535,000 Tamil and Muslim children were affected.

"We have forwarded the six demands to President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Minister
of Education and Higher Education Richard Pathirana before we embark on a non-violent
"Ahimsa" mode of struggle to obtain our demands", Mahasivam said.

"We have no political affiliations nor objectives and our trade union action is
solely to seek redress to problems faced by our membership", he said.

"We have also proposed to keep away from marking Advanced Level answer scripts due
next August if our demands are not granted", he added.

Four hundred and ninety eight pilgrims, including priests and religious belonging to
both the Sinhala and Tamil communities, and drawn from the parishes of the diocese of
Ratnapura led by His Lordship Bishop Malcolm Ranjith returned after their annual
pilgrimage to Madhu on Saturday, states a press release from Bishops House,
Eheliyagoda.

This years pilgrimage was especially oriented towards praying for peace for the
country torn apart by war and violence. Permission for the pilgrimage was granted by the
Ministry of Defence and after the security checks facilitated by the Sri Lankan Army the
pilgrims crossed over in to the uncleared area of the Wanni. They were received by the
officials of the LTTE and after due checks were allowed to proceed to the shrine. All
facilities were arranged by the administrator, Rev. Fr. Stan Philip O.M.I. During their
stay in the shrine religious services for peace and reconciliation were conducted. The
pilgrims had the opportunity to interact with the refugees resident in the UNHCR camp at
Madhu numbering 10,000. All religious services were conducted both in Sinhala and Tamil.

Bishop Malcolm Ranjith in his sermon appealed for immediate cessation of hostilities
between the contending parties and the initiation of the process of negotiations in order
to arrive at a just and permanent solution to the crisis. He expressed sadness that there
is an increased militarization of the conflict and reiterated that peace can come only
through negotiations.

The pilgrims who went to Madhu expressed sadness at the sufferings these refugees have
to undergo as a result of the war and at the offertory procession during the Holy Mass
offered items such as exercise books, pencils, pens and the other items for use by the
children in the schools at the camp. They noted that the refugee children had to make many
sacrifices in order to get their scholastic education. The classes are being conducted
under trees with minimum facilities. The entire pilgrimage was arranged by the Ratnapura
Diocesan Office for Human Development, Justice and Peace, headed by Rev. Fr. Dudley
Attanayake.

Ratnapura: In the last 15 years over 15 tons of geuda have been taken out of the
country. This variety of gems is mostly found only in Sri Lanka. Had we known the
technical know-how of turning geuda into gems, it would have been 15 tons of valuable gems
sent out instead of geuda stones.

This was stated by the Chairman of the Gems and Jewellery Authority Professor T. G. R.
Dharmaratna at a seminar held at Hotel Nilani, Ratnapura, organised by Professor Mahinda
Rupasinghe, Chairman of the Gems and Jewellery Research Institute.

Professor Dharmaratna said geuda has been specified as diesel geuda, ottu geuda, red
and yellow geuda. At the start geuda was heated only in Japan. Today we are able to heat
geuda and transform it to blue sapphire. When these stones are exported to America it is
obligatory that we issue a certificate to confirm whether these stones are original or
treated ones.

Prof. Mahinda Rupasinghe addressing the seminar stated some years ago a villager from
Elahera gave him a stone which he called Benz katta when he examined this
stone at the Sri Lanka Scientific and Technical Development Board he noted a glistering
portion inside the stone. Mr. Rohitha Perera who is running a gem cutting centre in
Ratnapura and earns US dollars one lakh per month.

Prof. Mahinda Rupasinghe said sequence to a request from the Chief Minister of
Sabaragamuwa classes are conducted on gemmology at the Sabaragamuwa University. Students
will be taught scientific methods of gemming, cutting and polishing. A knowledge on gem
trade would be taught.

Prof. Dayananda Somasundera, Vice Chancellor of the Sabaragamuwa University related
about one of his school friends who used to roam about the streets of Ratnapura, with the
small scale gem traders, during his school vacation. Fortunately for him he could not
enter University. Today he is a millionaire and an internationally reputed gem merchant.
On his part he was unfortunate to take up university education and has to contend with a
monthly salary.

Chief Minister Athauda Seneviratna said that present and future generations should be
equipped with a scientific knowledge of gems and mere hereditary or traditional knowledge
was not sufficient. Our university can be of assistance in this sphere. We had to face a
colossal loss as we lacked knowledge in the value of geuda. There may be other varieties
which are treated as valueless but may possess such potential values like geuda. Our
researchers should direct their attention on such stones. The results of such research
should reach the gem pit workers as well. Those in the gem trade should be honest. It was
late Dr. N. M. Perera who established the Gem Corporation in 1970 when he was a minister.
Those in the gem industry in Ratnapura benefited most. They should as a gesture of
gratitude erect his statue at Ratnapura. It is regretted to note even a street is not
named after him.

Three eclipses occur in this month, two solar and one lunar as a result of sun earth
and moon aligning to a near straight line position. Though the two partial solar eclipses
(on July 2nd and July 31st) were not visible to Sri Lanka, the total lunar eclipse due on
July 16th full moon poya day is visible to us from 07.02 p.m. onwards in the Eastern
horizon after the sunset.

This eclipse is especially noteworthy due to the fact that the moon passes almost dead
center through the earths shadow.

July 16th, 2000 lunar eclipse is the longest total lunar eclipse visible to the world
since August 13, 1859. The next lunar eclipse that lasts this long occurs on June 9, 2123!

The eclipse starts at 4.47 p.m. the totality begins at 7.02 p.m. with mid-eclipse
reaches at 7.56 p.m. The total eclipse ends at 8.49 p.m. with moon being gradually
uncovered by the earths shadow and the eclipse ends up at 11.04 p.m.

Astronomers predict that total lunar eclipses in the future including this one would
not be seen in dark brown or reddish black colour, as what we have seen in the past
several decades.

Due to the pollution and less clarity of the earths atmosphere, the refraction of
more reddened sun light into the earths shadow might result a bright orange-red moon
during the totality. Watch out and observe it by yourself says Dr. Chandana Jayaratne,
Senior Lecturer in Physics, University of Colombo.

The President explained to the TULF delegation the outcome of the discussions held with
the UNP.

The TULF impressed upon the President the vital importance of the proposed
constitutional formations being acceptable particularly in regard to the structure of the
State, the Unit of Devolution and Powers relating to State Land. The TULF also expressed
their strong objections to the proposal to hold a referendum in regard to the unit of
Devolution.

The TULF also impressed upon the government that the LTTE should be involved in the
negotiating process in order to bring an end to the war and an effective resolution of the
conflict.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga met the members of the diplomatic and a delegation of
the European Commission and briefed them on the security situation in the North, the state
of the economy and steps taken to resolve the North East crisis.

The President stated that she had met 13 of the 14 political parties representing
Parliament to discuss the national crisis and described it as an achievement at a time of
crisis.

She disclosed the details of the talks she had with the UNP and noted that she should
meet the UNP again after her talks with the Tamil parties.

The President pointed out that she would place the new constitution in Parliament
during the first week in August.

"We have opened the doors for talks with the LTTE and they would join", the
President stressed.

by Norman PalihawadaneThe army on Monday launched an operation to search and destroy LTTE terrorists in
hiding at Ariyalai, Jaffna, military sources said.

The Airforce launched attacks on a number of enemy targets, military sources said.

Reports said the operation led by a senior army officer has caused heavy damages to the
terrorists.

The operation was being continued at the time this edition went to press.

Meanwhile, security forces conducted a limited operation to destroy a terrorist bunker
line in Ariyalai area. Early this morning troops advanced from their forward defended
localities in Colombuthurai area and after successfully destroying the terrorist
positions, concluded the operation by noon.

Ground troops had to negotiate a very large number of anti-personnel mines planted by
the LTTE which resulted in troops having to spend a considerable time before assaulting
the bunker line. One officer and eighteen soldiers were killed in action while ninety four
security forces personnel were wounded.

Troops who assaulted the positions held by the terrorist confirm heavy casualties to
terrorists. Figures are not available at this point of time.

Meanwhile, LTTE transmissions have declared names of fifty three of their cadres killed
during the operation launched by the security forces south of Nargarkovil on July 4.

by Saman IndrajithNational Joint Committee (NJC) calls upon the Government and UNP to disclose
immediately to the public the contents of proposals on constitutional reforms discussed in
secrecy, a spokesman of the NJC said.

Dr. Piyasena Dissanayake, the Secretary of the NJC on Monday said that according to
media reports, PA-UNP talks on constitutional reforms ended last Friday with both parties
reaching consensus on "virtually" all aspects of the proposed constitution.
"The talks were held in very strict secrecy. The public at large who would face the
consequences of the constitutional reforms, are totally unaware of what is in store for
them when these proposals eventually become the fundamental law of this country," he
said.

"This is a strange practice alien to democracy. Such a practice unheard of in
democratic countries where such issues are discussed and debated openly," he said.

Dr. Dissanayake in a press communique says "However, from what little bits and
pieces of information that has appeared in the press, it looks as the age-old unitary
character of the state has to give way to a complete federal system with autonomous
regional councils enjoying much wider and far-reaching powers than Indian states."
The proposed Interim Council for the North and East appears to have been designed to meet
the Tamil demand for the recognition of these provinces as their traditional homeland at
the end of a five year period. It is also learnt that both parties have agreed to delete
the existing provision in the Constitution which granted "the foremost place" to
Buddhism.

Clearly these are calculated to radically alter the political and social structure of
Sri Lanka and call for very close scrutiny. The government must resist all temptations to
hurry them through Parliament however advantages these may appear to them in political
terms, he said.

"We therefore call upon the government and the UNP to release these proposals
immediately for the information of the public," he added.

The five rebels in the Ceylon Workers Congress will support the United National Party
if the partys internal dispute with Minister Arumugam Thondaman was not resolved by
the government, a member of the CWC dissident group said on Monday.

Senior member of the group, S. Sathasivam said they were monitoring the developments
within the CWC to take necessary action about their political future.

He said they met UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe last week to discuss the
constitutional reforms. (FRS)